A Key Part of the NSTC, this California Facility Will Drive the Future of Semiconductor Innovation and Collaboration  

Today, the Department of Commerce and Natcast, the operator of the National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC), announced Sunnyvale, California as the expected location for the CHIPS for America Design and Collaboration Facility (DCF), an NSTC Facility. The DCF will play an important role in advancing semiconductor design research, workforce development, investment, and collaboration across the entire semiconductor value chain.  

As a key part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, CHIPS for America is driven by the growing need to bolster the U.S. semiconductor supply chain, accelerate U.S. leading-edge R&D, and create good quality jobs around the country. The expected facility will bring together NSTC members from across the ecosystem to address some of the most demanding challenges facing the microelectronics industry and the world today, including the need for a skilled workforce and access to secure, cloud-based services for NSTC members.  

“The research and development component of the CHIPS and Science Act is fundamental to our long-term national security and ensuring the U.S. remains the most technologically competitive place on earth,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “With this proposed facility, CHIPS for America is providing access to cutting-edge research, tools, and workforce opportunities to communities across the country. Thanks to President Biden and Vice President Harris’s leadership, these new facilities will help secure America’s leadership in global semiconductor technology and manufacturing for decades to come.” 

“This designation from the Biden-Harris Administration will secure Sunnyvale as a premier location for semiconductor R&D and workforce development,” said National Economic Advisor Lael Brainard. 

Set within the vibrant and diverse semiconductor design ecosystem of Silicon Valley, the Sunnyvale, California based DCF is expected to be a multi-functional facility, serving as a critical location for the operations of Natcast and the NSTC, including: 

• Conducting advanced semiconductor research in chip design, electronic design automation (EDA), chip and system architecture, and hardware security 

• Hosting programmatic activities, including the NSTC Workforce Center of Excellence, Design Enablement Gateway, and a future Investment Fund 

• Convening NSTC members and stakeholders from across the semiconductor ecosystem 

• Housing various administration functions  

"Through physical and digital assets, this proposed facility will help researchers, educators, and companies from across the country solve the most pressing challenges facing the semiconductor industry. When we bring diverse perspectives together, we’re able to unlock new opportunities for innovation,” said Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and National Institute of Standards and Technology Director Laurie E. Locascio. 

“Silicon Valley is a broad, vibrant, and dynamic semiconductor ecosystem,” said Deirdre Hanford, Natcast CEO. “Surrounded by established companies and innovative startups, leading research and academic institutions, investors, and stakeholders from across the semiconductor value chain, the CHIPS for America Design and Collaboration Facility in Sunnyvale, Calif., will encourage and enable NSTC members to work together to address some of the most complex challenges we face as a nation and a world today.” 

The expected facility will enable collaboration among industry leaders, academia, investors, and government partners and build on the local and national ecosystem by providing convening space, workforce best practices and initiatives developed through the NSTC Workforce Center of Excellence. It will also provide NSTC members access to valuable physical and digital assets to develop next-generation semiconductor technologies for increasingly demanding end uses, such as AI and 5G. 

Along with the CHIPS for America EUV Accelerator and the forthcoming CHIPS for America NSTC Prototyping and National Advanced Packaging Manufacturing Program (NAPMP) Advanced Packaging Piloting Facility, the proposed DCF will be one of the flagship R&D facilities for CHIPS for America, which are designed to benefit the NSTC community and provide critical technologies for researchers nationwide. 

The Department and Natcast expect to announce information at a later date about the process for selecting affiliated technical centers. Learn more about the CHIPS for America R&D facilities here. 

Learn more about the NSTC, membership, and how to join, at natcast.org/NSTCmembership. 

Read the NSTC Strategic Plan here.